The present invention relates to an audio communication system for non-verbal or verbally handicapped individuals that permit them to communicate with speech and to carry on two-way telephone converations.
There are many persons who suffer from a verbal handicap, either due to disease, a birth defect or as a result of a stroke (aphasic). Further, some persons may also suffer from additional handicaps, such as loss of sight or limited movement of limbs and hands. Such persons, especially aphasics, who may at one time have enjoyed all of their sensory and physical faculties, may still be mentally alert and have some physical movement, but be non-verbal.
For a long time, people have tried to find a solution to this problem, one that would permit the verbally handicapped individual to audibly communicate with others and that would provide them a degree of independence, self-reliance and self-confidence that cannot be achieved otherwise. In many cases, the verbally handicapped must learn sign language or resort to communication by writing. While there are available portable audio systems for the verbally handicapped, there are no systems designed to provide both audio communication between the verbally handicapped person and others and two-way telephone conversations over a standard telephone line.